What are your eBay pet peeves?

[shadow460]

I've often asked US sellers if they would ship outside the US, and many of them have replied "yes". They also note they forgot to change the shipping areas for the auction in question. So this is why I always ask, because sellers sometime make mistakes. If the answer is "no", then I'd hope for a polite response. And then I'd probably bid anyhow, and have it shipped to my US address instead.

I'd definitely make an exception for many of the folks here no matter where they lived. Shipping to Pluto? Sure, no problem for most members of AtariAge. It's the people whom I don't know from Adam that I'm wary of.

 

I've bought and sold a huge amount on eBay over the last 6 months, and while I've been burned as a seller (charge backs and non-payments, for example), most of my pain has been as a buyer.

 

My gripes/issues from the last few months:

 

1. Live insects inside the package that crawled out when I opened it. (Really turned my wife off on my Atari collecting hobby.)

 

 

You said it, brotha! I just brought in a lot of 32X games. Only after I'd gotten them home did I realize there were roach legs sticking out of Space Harrier! Ugh! It was so bad that the Orkin man got a call from the Fantasy Zone. I don't know how many carts I've opened with, uh, insect evidence, inside them. The grossest one was a Game Gear Mortal Kombat that had what looked like two baby centipedes packed in there.

[Serious]

It was so bad that the Orkin man got a call from the Fantasy Zone.

 

I laughed out loud at that.

 

The grossest one was a Game Gear Mortal Kombat that had what looked like two baby centipedes packed in there.

 

Both of these could be new game concepts.

[Cebus Capucinis]

I'm selling some stuff right now (Commodore 128D, PCJr, etc., collection stuff I can't take with me on the move) and this may be a bit divided, but one thing I really hate is buyers who bid an item up just to see what other people's bids are, then cancel their bid to see what they should set a snipe at or what the item will go for. I think this is shady and unacceptable, and I have had 2 eBayers do that in my auctions -- when I see the notice of cancellation, I find out who the bidder was, then I block them from bidding on the item. I may not get that extra couple bucks out of the item, which is a shame, but if you cancel a bid, to me that means you're untrustworthy and I shouldn't let you buy my items!

[Serious]

one thing I really hate is buyers who bid an item up just to see what other people's bids are, then cancel their bid to see what they should set a snipe at or what the item will go for.

 

I didn't realize that was a common tactic, but I had a buyer do something like that with me before on a very expensive item (placed a bid, then asked to retract it saying he accidentally bid too much, and he'd resubmit another bid). I cancelled as he requested (realizing later I was probably suckered, I warned the other high bidder), but the weird thing is he never came back with a snipe, even though it didn't get bid any higher.

[ClassicGMR]

1. Stock photos

2. Cut and paste descriptions from Amazon or manufacturer

3. NO description beyond "see pic"

4. "Seller Refurbished" condition when all they MIGHT have done is wipe the item off with paper towel

[Blazing Lazers]

As a seller, having a buyer who was an obvious reseller ask insistently for extra insurance AND notarization. Who in the hell asks for packages under $50 to be notarized????

As a buyer, sellers who never leave feedback. That being said, I can understand how some cautious sellers might wait to leave feedback so as to have some leverage over a potential problem buyer.

[akator]

Jackasses who demand specific shipping services that were not offered in the auction. No questions before winning, no communication, just some asinine demands once the auction has been won.

 

What really takes the cake is someone who demands premium shipping without offering to pay for it, shipping that sometimes costs more that the total paid for the item.

 

Buyer: I won a computer from you. Ship it via FedEx because I don't like other services.

Me: It costs $170 to ship the computer via FedEx instead of $95 via USPS. Are you going to pay the $75 difference?

 

Never heard from him again and he never paid.